Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February to Question 125571 on Contracts: Billing, if he will publish the payment performance data for each prime contractor for the periods between (a) April to September 2017 and (b) October 2017 to April 2018 inclusive; if he will publish the data and graphs showing how central Government Departments performed against payment policy targets for 2017-2018; and what steps the Government has taken to improve payment practices in government supply chains since 5 February 2018.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
This information is not currently held centrally.
Last year, the government introduced a payment reporting system, which requires the UK’s largest businesses to report on their payment practices, policies and performance. Large businesses must report every 6 months on their payment behaviour starting with their first full financial year that starts on or after 6 April 2017. All reports are publicly accessible at:
https://check-payment-practices.service.gov.uk/search
As of 1 April 2015 all central government departments, including their Executive Agencies and Non Departmental Public Bodies, have been required to report on their prompt payment performance. They must publish the percentage of their invoices paid within 5 days and within 30 days on a quarterly basis on their GOV.UK pages.
On 10 April, we opened a consultation on whether it would be appropriate to exclude suppliers from major government procurements if they cannot demonstrate a fair, effective and responsible approach to payment in their supply chain management. The consultation closed on 5 June and we are currently analysing the feedback.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January to Question 123892, if he will publish the payment performance data for each prime contractor for the period between April and October 2017 inclusive.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
This information is not currently held centrally.
BEIS have recently introduced a payment reporting system, which requires large businesses to report on their UK payment practices and performance. Businesses must report every six months on their payment performance starting with their first full financial year that starts on or after 6 April 2017:
We intend to take further steps to improve payment practices in government supply chains and we will be bringing forward proposals shortly.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the guidance to Departments on preparing registers of ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings.
Answered by David Lidington
The guidance issued to Departments on the preparation of transparency listings of ministerial gifts, hospitality, overseas travel and external meetings is internal, and is to assist civil servants with the collection and collation of such transparency data.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department has taken (a) generally and (b) in respect of Carillion to monitor and enforce the requirement that prime contractors pay undisputed, valid invoices within 30 days and ensure that such terms are implemented throughout the supply chain since 26 February 2015; and if he will publish performance data for each prime contractor for his Department.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
BEIS have recently introduced a payment reporting system, which requires large businesses to report on their UK payment practices and performance. Businesses must report 6 monthly on their payment performance starting with their first full financial year that starts on or after 6 April 2017.
Government departments publish their own payment performance data on GOV.UK. We encourage suppliers that have not been paid promptly to report the case to our Mystery Shopper Service, who will investigate on their behalf.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which charities have used government grants to pay for campaigns in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16 to date; what the nature of each such campaign was; what estimate he has made of the amount of government funding used for each such campaign; and which such charities have been asked to repay part of their grant on the grounds that such expenditure was outwith the terms and conditions of that grant.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The information requested is not held centrally.